Competition
by LL was Guest123
Summary: A little story about the lovely Jean and James.


Disclaimer - A little story using the words of a song I love 'Lost' by Faith Hill. I do not own any of the characters of Lewis or have any rights to the song, just borrowing for the story!

"Are you sure you want me to come? What are your friends going to think of me? I could stay here and you could come round afterwards." Jean had agreed to go to the outdoor concert weeks ago but now that the time had actually arrived she was plagued with nerves and insecurity. Had he only asked her out of a sense of obligation? Did he really want her there? Would it be awkward? Would she just look out of place? James smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I don't want to go anywhere without you" he said kissing her passionately. "I want my friends and everyone else to know how happy I am and to see how beautiful you are. Now go and get ready before we get distracted and end up being late." He pulled her in for one last kiss before releasing her and picking up his guitar. She smiled and left the room to go and change. He always made her feel better and really did know the words to use to dispel her fears.

As she changed her clothes and carefully applied some make-up, the quiet sound of James strumming his guitar made her heart flutter. She really did love him. He was everything she could ever want. He never failed to tell her how wonderful she was, he adored her... she had never expected to find someone again after the breakup of her marriage – let alone someone this wonderful.

As she re-entered the living room James stopped playing and let his eyes run the length of her body. "Wow, you look amazing," he exclaimed. Jean laughed "It's jeans and a top James" she replied. She wasn't going to let on how much time had been spent thinking about the outfit. The outfit was new; several hours had been spent in the shop trying on every style of jeans to find the right pair. She didn't want to wear something that looked like she was trying too hard, or something meant for a girl in her twenties, but she didn't want to feel old either. "Trust me – AMAZING" he repeated, pulling her into his arms for a final time before talking her hand and escorting her to the guitar, clutching his precious guitar in his other hand.

They arrived at the concert and walked across the field hand in hand towards where James had arranged to meet his friends. The butterflies in Jean's stomach were getting worse as they got closer to the crowds. She squeezed his hand tightly and he gave a small laugh. "They'll love you," he said reassuringly, squeezing her hand back.

"Jonno, Andy, Frank, Amy, Bethan – this is Jean, my wonderful girlfriend" James announced proudly as Jean blushed slightly and greeted her man's friends with a beaming smile. She looked around, trying to gauge from their facial expressions what they were thinking about her. The men seemed friendly, immediately hugging her and kissing her cheek to make her feel welcome. Bethan smiled too and although she looked a little shocked at James' choices of 'girlfriend' her body language was not threatening in any way. However Jean noticed that Amy seemed less than friendly towards her right from the start. There was no eye contact and a very forced smile, Jean knew that she was going to have to watch herself with this one.

"So how did someone like James manage to get a stunner like you then Jean?" Jonno asked, causing James to throw something at him and Jean to giggle nervously. "I know that she's out of my league thank you Jonno, I don't need my mates to point it out," James replied, smiling at Jean with desire laden eyes. Jean smiled back; he really is perfect she thought as he started to chatter enthusiastically about the concert that was due to start shortly.

Half an hour later and Jean was feeling completely relaxed, her anxieties had been lifted as the three men talked to her as if they had known her forever. She knew that she needn't have worried really, James was so wonderful – his friends were always going to be great too. It was just Amy. What was it with Amy?

James held on to her throughout the concert. They danced, laughed, cuddled and giggled... she felt like a teenager. As the music began to draw to a close the friends sat down and James said he would go for more drinks. Jean watched as he walked away, glancing back at her with a smile and a wink. "He adores you," said Bethan quietly, "we've never seen him like this before." Jean smiled and felt her cheeks flush slightly. "Things are great," she replied. Jean looked across at Amy who was deep in conversation with Andy. "Oh, sorry about her" Bethan started, "she is hopelessly in love with your James, has been for ages, can't quite accept the fact that he isn't interested." Jean looked across again just in time to see Amy glare at her in a none too friendly way. "I see" she replied, "not going to think too much of me then." Bethan giggled, "no, not witnessing the way he is with you. Like I said, don't worry. Maybe she will get the message now."

Jean wasn't so sure, the looks Amy was giving her said that she wasn't about to give up on the love of her life without a fight. Jean sighed, she was too old to be fighting over a man, but she couldn't help think that Amy would be better for James than she was. She was younger, prettier, she could give him a family... before she could wallow too much in her own thoughts James was back and after distributing drinks was sat down next to her wrapping his arms around her tightly. She relaxed into his arms and rested her hand over his. The group sat and chatted happily for the next half an hour and Jean put aside all the feelings of doubt that had crept into her mind earlier.

"Right then James, we've had quite long enough without any musical entertainment – leave Jean alone for a few minutes and give us a song," Frank's request was met with agreement from the rest of the group but James seemed reluctant to play for his friends despite their insistence.

"Awww, James you always play for us, it wouldn't be right if you didn't give us at least one song," Bethan looked at Jean hopefully.

"You have to play James" Jean insisted, "don't disappoint your friends just because I'm here." She looked into his eyes and nodded, beaming at him with that brilliant smile. James smiled back and reluctantly reached for his guitar, perching on a crate that had been used to carry some of the drinks they had consumed earlier in the evening.

Jean glanced across at Amy whose eyes seemed to be fixated on James as he began to strum gently on his guitar.

_Is it obvious to you  
When you walk into a room  
Your face is all I see?_

_And my heart races so fast  
I never knew a rush to feel like that  
Every time you're touching me._

James kept his eyes on Jean as he started to sing, looking deep into her eyes. It was as if nobody else was there.

_I never did believe in anything  
I couldn't hold between my fingers  
But the way you make me feel  
It's just so real the way it lingers_

_I get lost inside your stare  
Lost when you're not there  
When everything I have doesn't mean a thing  
If it's without you_

_If it's a dream, don't wake me up  
I'll scream if this isn't love  
If bein' lost means never knowin'  
How it feels without you  
I wanna stay lost forever  
I wanna stay lost forever with you_

Jean bit gently on her bottom lip. She couldn't believe that she had worried about Amy. The way James was singing those words to her right now, looking at her with such adoration and love in his eyes was enough to tell her she didn't need to worry. As she smiled back at him, aware that her reaction was being witnessed by the others around her, she realised that she didn't care about anyone or anything but him. She didn't want this moment to end, never had she felt so worshipped, so loved, so idolised by anyone in the whole of her life. In all of the years of her marriage she never felt that she was loved like this.

_No, this feeling doesn't end  
It's with me everywhere I am  
Hope it never goes away_

_It's like defying gravity  
Losin' all control and bein' free  
And I always wanna stay_

_I never thought that I'd let go  
Long enough to fall for someone deeply  
Who had the power to erase my fears  
And find me so completely_

James never altered his gaze once but as the intensity of the situation grew, Jean felt the urge to glance around to the faces of the others who they were with. As she predicted, the men were grinning at each other, probably not quite believing this change in their friend. She caught Bethan's eye and she winked at Jean, smiling a wide 'I told you he adored you' smile. Then there was Amy.

_I get lost inside your stare  
Lost when you're not there  
When everything I have doesn't mean a thing  
If it's without you_

_If it's a dream, don't wake me up  
I'll scream if this isn't love  
If bein' lost means never knowin'  
How it feels without you  
I wanna stay lost_

_Don't tell me where we're goin'  
I don't wanna know  
I like the mystery  
I can't believe we've come this far  
So far away from where we started off  
You found me when I wasn't lookin'  
You found me_

Amy stared at Jean with resentment. Jean looked back almost sympathetically, she was sorry that Amy felt so strongly about James and knew that it must be hard for her that he didn't feel the same, but as she looked back at James all that was forgotten – his smile, his eyes, his words all told her that he wanted her and only her.

_And now I'm lost inside your stare  
Lost when you're not there  
And everything I have doesn't mean a thing  
If it's without you, without you_

_If it's a dream, don't wake me up  
I'll scream if this isn't love  
If bein' lost means never knowin'  
How it feels without you_

_Yeah, if bein' lost means never knowin'  
How it feels without you  
Oh, if bein' lost means that I'm never  
Gonna be without you  
I wanna stay lost forever  
I wanna stay lost forever with you_

As the song ended, James put the guitar down and wrapped his arms back around Jean, kissing her with a passion that she had never experienced with him before. She ran her hands up into his hair and deepened the kiss, not wanting the moment to end. Eventually he moved his lips up close to her ear and whispered to her "I love you so much." She sighed quietly, "I love you too."

After saying goodbye to their friends, they left the field hand in hand, Jean feeling so much more content than she had been on their arrival just hours before.

Jean looked back at Amy one last time and smiled. She knew they would probably never be friends, but she knew now that she was no competition.

Reviews would be lovely...thanks!


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